Apparatus for reciprocating continuous casting moulds by means of flexible drawing members

ABSTRACT

An apparatus for vertically reciprocating open-ended moulds for the continuous casting of metals. The apparatus comprises a supporting platform for each mould, and means for slidably guiding said platform in its reciprocating movement. Hydraulic or mechanical driving means are provided for effecting said reciprocating movement and flexible drawing members, such as ropes, cords, cables, chains or straps, connect said driving means to said platform.

United States Patent Colombo APPARATUS FOR RECIPROCATING CONTINUOUS CASTING MOULDS BY MEANS OF FLEXELE DRAWING MEMBERS Inventor: Piero Colombo, 27, Via Leopardi, Udine,

Italy Filed: Sept. 23, 1970 Appl. No.: 74,643

Foreign Application Priority Data Sept. 27, 1969 Italy ..7339 A169 US. Cl ..l64/260, 164/83 ....B22d 1 1/00, B22d 27/08 Field of Search 164/83, 260, 282

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 12/1957 Savage et a1. ..164/282 X 1 June 6, 1972 2,815,551 10/1957 Hessenberg etal ..164/83 2,818,616 1/1958 Rossi ..l64/260 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATlONS 1,578,961 8/1969 France 164/282 895,913 5/1962 Great Britain ..164/282 Primary Examiner-R. Spencer Annear Attorney-Shlesinger, Arkwright & Garvey [5 7] ABSTRACT An apparatus for vertically reciprocating open-ended moulds for the continuous casting of metals. The apparatus comprises a supporting platform for each mould, and means for slidably guiding said platform in its reciprocating movement. Hydraulic or mechanical driving means are provided for effecting said reciprocating movement and flexible drawing members, such as ropes, cords, cables, chains or straps, connect said driving means to said platform.

9 Claims, 5 Drawing figures APPARATUS FOR RECIPROCATING CONTINUOUS CASTING MOULDS BY MEANS OF FLEXIBLE DRAWING MEMBERS BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to improvements in apparatus for reciprocating open-ended moulds used for the continuous casting of steel or other metals, so as to minimize the effect of friction between the mould and the continuous ingot or casting line, usually termed also strand."

The apparatus according to the invention, which is particularly adapted for use in multi-mould continuous casting machines, characterized by the feature that, for the transmission of the movement for reciprocating the moulds, flexible drawing means, such as ropes, cables, cords, chains, bands or the like are employed in a manner to permit reducing the space occupied by the adjoining moulds in multi-moulds continuous casting machines, when compared to the space which is necessary in apparatus employing rigid transmission means, such as rods, lever systems and the like. At the same time the flexible transmission system permits simplification of the driving apparatus and reduction in labor for the supervision and control of the apparatus.

In practice, the employment of flexible drawing members alone or in combination with other arrangements for reciprocating the moulds of multi-mould continuous casting machines reduces the distance between the axes of contiguous casting lines issuing from adjoining continuous casting moulds from about 1000 mm., which is to be considered the usual minimum distance between multi-mould machines employing rigid transmission means, to distances ranging from about 400 500 mm. This permits a corresponding reduction in the length of the distributing tundish and of the cost of the refractory lining thereof. Furthermore the thermal expansion of the tundishes is reduced, thus obtaining an easy and perfect centering of the casting lines flowing from the tundish nozzles with respect to the underlying mouth of the casting moulds.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following specification relating to some embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a part of a continuous casting machine comprising a stationary frame or table, a mould-supporting platform mounted on a pair of vertically reciprocable supporting columns, and means, including a hydraulic cylinder, for reciprocating through flexible members said platfonn;

FIG. 2 is a part elevational and part vertical sectional view through a part of a continuous-casting machine section comprising the machine part shown in FIG. 1 completed with the outlet duct of a continuous casting mould formed by a set of rolls arranged at right angles and the hydraulic piston and its mould-lowering position;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a variation of the apparatus for driving the flexible transmission members through a cam, a swinging lever and a. rocking shaft;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of another variation of the apparatus for driving the flexible operating members by means of a cam disc and a rocking shaft, and

FIG. 5 is a cross sectional view taken along the line V-V of FIG. 4, the disc pin and draw rod being shown in elevation.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the conventional open-ended mould 1 of a continuous casting plant or machine is fitted in a large rectangular opening 2 of the mould-supporting platform 3, which is mounted so as to vertically reciprocate on a pair of columns 4 being slidable through openings in a stationary table 5. In order to produce this reciprocating movement, the columns 4 are slidably mounted in guide cylinders 6 closed at their bottom end and fastened to said stationary table 5.

The upward stroke of the reciprocating movement of the platform 3 is effected by a pair of helical springs 7 mounted in said guide cylinders 6 and compressed between the closed bottom of said guide cylinders 6 and the lower end of the corresponding columns 4. v

The downward movement of the platform 3 is effected by a hydraulic cylinder 8 mounted on a bracket fastened to the stationary table 5 and in which a conventional hydraulic piston is slidably mounted. The piston is driven by fluid pressure fed through a conventional feed pipe 9 and is provided with a rod 10 slidably mounted through the corresponding cylinder bottom. A flexible actuating member, such as the flexible wire rope 11 is fastened to the end of rod 10 which rope, after engaging a rotatable grooved idler rollers 12 (FIG. 1) is fastened in an intermediate annular groove 13 of a grooved drive roller 14. Roller 14 is provided with end trunnions rotatably mounted in a pair of sturdy lugs 15 projecting downwardly from the stationary table 5. In this groove 13 said driving flexible rope I l is wound in part in one direction (e.g. clockwise).

Drive roller 14 is also provided with another pair of annular grooves 16 and 17 in each of which the end of a driven wire rope 18 and 19 is fastened, in such a manner as to become partially wound on roller 14in said grooves 16 and 17 in opposite directions, with respect to driving rope I1 (e.g. counterclockwise). Ropes 18 and 19 extend vertically upwards with their opposite ends preferably anchored in diagonally opposite corners of the mould-supporting platform 3.

To this end, in the embodiment as shown, the wire rope 18 is trained in an annular groove of a deflecting grooved roller 20 and is slidably passed through holes 21 in the stationary table 5. By this arrangement, the said actuating wire ropes 18 and 19 by winding themselves on rollers 14 and 20 in the grooves 16 and 17 may freely pull the mould-supporting platform 3 and the mould 1 carried thereby downwardly, against the action of the springs 7. Ropes 18 and 19 are actuated by driving rope 11, which moves in response to operation of piston rod 10. Ropes 18 and 19 move in the opposite direction, under the urging of said springs 7, whenever the duct 9 is vented or no longer communicates with a source of fluid pressure.

In this manner the mould-supporting platform 3 and the open-ended continuous casting mould I carried thereby may be reciprocated vertically at the desire frequency, depending upon the frequency of the operation of the hydraulic piston. Thus, when thepiston of hydraulic cylinder 8 is actuated the flexible transmission member 1 1(which has been described as a wire rope, but which could be also a strap, chain, cord, cable or the like), the end of which is anchored in the corresponding groove of roller 14, rotates this roller in a counterclockwise direction. This causes the lower ends of the flexible actuating members to be wound about the rollers 14 and 20 in grooves 16 and 17, thereby pulling the platform 3 and mould supported thereby downwardly against the action of the springs 7. The operation is reversed when the hydraulic pressure is discharged from the cylinder 8. In this case, the springs push the platform 3 upwardly and cause the hydraulic piston to return to its rest position (lower position, in FIG. 2).

Instead of a hydraulic cylinder, other equivalent driving means could be employed.

Thus, in the example as shown in FIG. 3, the roller 14 has two annularly grooved portions 16 and 17 which the ends of the wire ropes l8 and 19 are anchored, the opposite ends of which are connected to the mould-supporting platform in a manner similar to the form of invention illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2. Instead of a hydraulic cylinder, a cam disc 22 is mounted on a shaft, the periphery of which cam disc is engaged by the periphery of a disc 23. Disc 23 is rotatably pivoted between two prongs of a leverarm 24 fastened to roller 14 between said grooves 16 and 17. By revolving or rocking said cam disc 22 the roller 14 is rocked and the flexible transmission members 18 and 19 are either pulled, or released, thus promoting the vertical reciprocation of the platform 3 and mould I carried thereby.

A variation. of the driving through a cam disc is shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. According to this embodiment, a control shaft 25 carries a pair of eccentrically mounted parallel discs 26 26 provided with inwardly directed flanges 126 within which two bearing rings 27 are mounted. A transverse pin 28 extends between disc 26-26, the terminals of which are mounted in bearingrings 27. A rod 29 is fastened to an intermediate part of pin 28 and a flexible transmission member or wire rope 11 is anchored to rod 29. This rope 1 l is anchored at its opposite end in an annular groove 13 ofa rocking roller 14. Roller 14 is provided with another pair of annular grooves 16 and 17, to which the driving ends of the flexible ropes l8 and 19 are anchored, in the same manner as described with reference to FlGS. 1 and 2.

The operation of the device is like that described with reference to these last-mentioned figures.

Of course, the invention may undergo numerous changes without departing from the basic principle thereof. Thus, instead of a cam, a crank-like member could be employed and instead of a grooved roll, also a crank shaft could be employed.

Furthermore, the upward and downward reciprocation of the mould-supporting platform and mould carried thereby means of flexible drawing transmission members, such as ropes, cords, chains or the like, could be adopted also in case of continuous casting machines provided with a plurality of sidewise arranged moulds, in which case the driving flexible member 11 could operate on a rocking roller 14 provided with a plurality of pairs of adjoining grooves 16 and 17 to which the ends of pairs of flexible actuating members 18 and 19 could be anchored, whose opposite ends would be anchored to the adjacent mould-supporting platforms.

Furthermore, instead of spring-urged slidable columns for supporting the mould platforms, double-acting hydraulic cylinders or other conventional mechanical or hydraulical means could be employed, which permits the use of flexible actuating members, such as ropes, straps, cords, chains or the like.

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for vertically reciprocating open ended moulds for the continuous casting of metals comprising a supporting platform for each mould, driving means for vertically reciprocating said supporting platform, means for guiding said supporting platform during the reciprocating movement thereof, and flexible actuating members connecting said driving means to said supporting platform.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said supporting platform is provided with column-like, vertical, downwardly extending members, a stationary table beneath said platform, said stationary table being provided with guide members for receiving said column-like members, means for urging said column-like members upwardly, and a driving apparatus engageable with said flexible actuating members for forcing said column-like members and supporting platform downwardly.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said driving apparatus comprises a hydraulic cylinder and piston, a rod connected to one end of said piston and movable therewith, a flexible connecting member, one end of said flexible connecting member being attached to said rod, means engageable with said flexible actuating members and said flexible connecting member for effecting operation of the former upon movement of the latter, and spring means for normally urging said column-like members upwardly.

4. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein, said driving apparatus comprises a rotatable roller, a flexible connecting member partially wound on said roller, multiple flexible actuating members partially wound on said rotatable roller in the opposite direction to said connecting member, said actuating members being engageable with said supporting platform, for exerting a downward pull on the latter upon winding of said actuating members on said rotatable roller.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein said means for urging said column-like members upwardly comprise helical sprin s.

6. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein said roller is provi ed with a plurality of annular grooves, said flexible connecting member and flexible actuating members being secured to said roller within the annular grooves.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, with the addition of a second annularly grooved roller parallelly arranged with respect to said first grooved roller, the grooved portion of said roller being adapted to engage and direct one of said flexible actuating members toward said supporting platform, and means for anchoring said flexible actuating members to said supporting platform.

8. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said driving apparatus comprises a rotatable roller, a lever arm fixed to said rotatable roller, a disc rotatably carried by the outer terminal of said lever arm, a cam disc engageable with the periphery of said disc, and means for eccentrically rotating said cam disc to effect a reciprocating rocking motion of said grooved roller and lever arm.

9. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said driving apparatus comprises a rotatable roller, a flexible connecting member partially wound on said roller, multiple flexible actuating members partially wound on said grooved roller in a direction opposite to said rotatable roller, a rod fastened to a terminal of said connecting member, opposed discs having inwardly directed flanges bearing rings mounted within said flanges, a pin connecting said bearing rings, said pin being fixed to said rod, and means for eccentrically rotating said discs to produce corresponding rotation of said roller in a reciprocating movement. 

1. Apparatus for vertically reciprocating open ended moulds for the continuous casting of metals comprising a supporting platform for each mould, driving means for vertically reciprocating said supporting platform, means for guiding said supporting platform during the reciprocating movement thereof, and flexible actuating members connecting said driving means to said supporting platform.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said supporting platform is provided with column-like, vertical, downwardly extending members, a stationary table beneath said platform, said stationary table being provided with guide members for receiving said column-like members, means for urging said column-like members upwardly, and a driving apparatus engageable with said flexible actuating members for forcing said column-like members and supporting platform downwardly.
 3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said driving apparatus comprises a hydraulic cylinder and piston, a rod connected to one end of said piston and movable therewith, a flexible connecting member, one end of said flexible connecting member being attached to said rod, means engageable with said flexible actuating members and said flexible connecting member for effecting operation of the former upon movement of the latter, and spring means for normally urging said column-like members upwardly.
 4. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein, said driving apparatus comprises a rotatable roller, a flexible connecting member partially wound on said roller, multiple flexible actuating members partially wound on said rotatable roller in the opposite direction to said connecting member, said actuating members being engageable with said supporting platform, for exerting a downward pull on the latter upon winding of said actuating members on said rotatable roller.
 5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein said means for urging said column-like members upwardly comprise helical springs.
 6. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein said roller is provided with a plurality of annular grooves, said flexible connecting member and flexible actuating members being secured to said roller within the annular grooves.
 7. The apparatus of claim 6, with the addition of a second annularly grooved roller parallelly arranged with respect to said first grooved roller, the grooved portion of said roller being adapted to engage and direct one of said flexible actuating members toward said supporting platform, and means for anchoring said flexible actuating members to said supporting platform.
 8. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said driving apparatus comprises a rotatable roller, a lever arm fixed to said rotatable roller, a disc rotatably carried by the outer terminal of said lever arm, a cam disc engageable with the periphery of said disc, and means for eccentrically rotating said cam disc to effect a reciprocating rocking motion of said grooved roller and lever arm.
 9. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said driving apparatus comprises a rotatable roller, a flexible connecting member partially wound on said roller, multiple flexible actuating members partially wound on said grooved roller in a direction opposite to said rotatable roller, a rod fastened to a terminal of said connecting member, opposed discs having inwardly directed flanges bearing rings mounted within said flanges, a pin connecting said bearing rings, said pin being fixed to said rod, and means for eccentrically rotating said discs to produce corresponding rotation of said roller in a reciprocating movement. 